The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1887-01-14

ward wou!d depend upon the shape tina,
things took In his new home.
lie found Rachel sitting on tho piazza
Though dressed In tho deepest and plaines
black she had never looked 70 SURPRISINGLY
beautiful As Is usually the case with young
women OF her type Of beauty, grief had
toned down the rich coloring that had al
times seemed almost too cxuberant into that
delicate shell-like tint which is the perfection
of natures painting. Her round white arms
shone like Juno's, rs the outlines were re,
vealcd by tho graceful motions which threw
back the wide sleeves. Her wealth OF silken
black hair was drawn smoothly back from
her white forehead, over her shapely head,
and gathered into simple knot behind. Save
black brooch at her throat, she wore no
ornaments-.not even plain ring.
She rose as Harry came upon the piazza,
and for u moment her face was rigid with in
tensity of feeling. This evidence Of emotion
went as quickly as it came, however, and she
extended her hand with calm dignity, saying
simply
"You have returned, Mr.. Glen"
In his anxiety to SO play the imprisoned
lover as to conceal the recreancy he had
fostered in his own heart, Harry did not
notice the GOODNESS Of this greeting Then,
too, his self satisfaction had always done him
the invaluable service Of preventing ready
perception of the repelant attitudes Of Others
He came forward eagerly to press kiss
upon her lips, but she checked him with up.
lifted hand. ~
30, the familys in there, are they?" said
he, looking toward the open windows of the
parlor. "Weil, what matters Isn't it ex-
pected that fellow will kiss his afiianced
wife on his return, and not care who knows
it!'
He pointed to the old apple tree where they
had plightcd their troth that happy night.
with a gesture and look that was a reminder
of their former meeting and an invitation to
go thither again. She comprehended, but re-
fused with a shudder, and, turning, notioned
him to the farther end of the piazza, to which
Sic led the way, moving with sweeping
gracefulness of carriage that Harry thought
had wonderfully ripened and perfected in the
three months that had elapsed since their
parting.
"Fore CAD" he said to himself. This was
new addition to his expletory vocabulary,
which had accrued from Ned Burnleish's
companionship) "Id like to put her along
side of one of the girls that Ned's always
UuikluS uDOuU. uOu utiloNo SucS bOU her
equal anywhere"
Arriving at the end Of the piazza he i'm
petuously renewed his attempt at an en-
brace, but her repulse was now unmistak-
able.
"sit down." she said, pointing to chair;
II have something to say to YOU"
Harry's first thought was a rush of jeal-
ousy. "Some rascal has supplanted me-" he
said bitterly. but under his breath
She took chair near by, put away the
arm he would have placed about her
waist, drew from her pocket a dainty
handkerchief bordered with black, and
opened it deliberately. It shed delicate
odor of violets.
Harry waited anxiously sor her to speak.
'This mourning which wear" she began
gently, 81 put on when received the news
of your downfall" &@
"My downfallr' broke in HSfry holly.
"Great heavens, you don't say that you, too,
have been carried away by this wretched
village SANDER"
II put it Oh" she continued, unmindful of
the interruption, "because l suffered loss
which was greater than any merely physical
death could have occasioned." 49,
II don't ,3aderstshnd you R'ss's - " Y
my faith in you as man SUPERIOR Ii our
fellows died then. This was a much More
cruel blow than your bodily death would
have been."
'Fore CAD, you take a pleasant view of my
decease-a much cooler one, 1 must confess,
than am able to take of that interesting
event in my history"
Her great eyes blazed and she seemed
about to reply hotly, but she restrained her,
self and went on with measured calmness
"The reason 1 selected you from among all
other men, and loved you, and joyfully ac-
copied as my lot in life to be your devoted
wife and helpmate, was that I believed you
superior in all manly things to other men,
Without such belief could love no man.
She paused for an instant, and Harry man.
aged to stammer:
But what have 1 done to deserve being
thrown over in this unexpected ways"
"You have not done anything. That is the
trouble. You have failed to do that which
was rightfully expected of you. You have
allowed others, who had no better oppor-
tunties, to surpass you in doing your manly
duty Whatever else my husband may not
be he must not fail i'll this
"Rachel, you are hard and cruel"
"No, am only kind to you and to myself.
know myself too well to make a mistake in
this respect 1 have seen too many women
who have been compelled to defend, apologize
Or blush for their husbands acts, and have
felt too keenly the abject misery of their lives
to take the least chance Of adding myself to
their sorrowful number. If l were married
10 you could endure to be beaten by YOU
md perhaps love you still, but tho moment l
was compelled to confess your inferiority to
some other womans husband I should hate
you, and in the end drag both of us down to
graves"
"But let me explain this"
at would be a waste Of time, she answered
oddly. at is sufficient for me to know that
you are convicted by general opinion Of hav-
ng failed where number of commonplace
elbows succeeded. You, yourself, admit the
Justice of this verdict by tame submission to
t, making no effort to retrieve your reputa-
ion. can not understand how this could
70 so if you had any of the qualities that
fondly imagined you possessed in high de-
,rce But this interview is being prptracted
o painful extent. Let us cay good night
md part"
"Forever?" he stammered.
"Ys."
She held out her hand for farewell. Harry
aught it and would have carried it to his
Ups, but she drew it away.